Best time to visit Tehri Lake — the lake season, the monsoon and the snow on the high road
When to visit Tehri Lake: April to June for water sports, dry October and November, the July–August monsoon and winter snow near Kanatal. IMD figures.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Things to do around Tehri — the lake, the dam, Chamba, Kanatal, Surkanda Devi and Dhanaulti
Seven things to do around Tehri: water sports on the lake, India's tallest dam, Chamba, Kanatal, the Surkanda Devi temple, Dhanaulti and the Koteshwar dam.
Tehri means the lake and the dam to most people, but the road west to Mussoorie climbs through some of the quietest hill country in Garhwal. Seven things, nearest first, with our measured road times from New Tehri.
Photos: SHUVADIP (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
1. Walk New Tehri
The district town was built on the hill when the old town went under the water. It looks down on the reservoir, and Wikipedia names the Chandrabadani Devi temple as its notable shrine.
2. Go to Chamba
About 11 km and 24 minutes away, Chamba is the small hill town at about 1,600 m where the roads from Mussoorie and Rishikesh meet the road to Tehri. A fair is held here every 21 April in memory of Rifleman Gabbar Singh Negi, a Victoria Cross recipient from the area.
3. See the Tehri Dam
About 18 km and 37 minutes away. The Tehri Dam is 260.5 m high, the tallest in India by Wikipedia's account, and holds back a reservoir of about 52 km². It is also a battery: its pumped-storage plant can send water back up from the Koteshwar reservoir below.
4. Get on Tehri Lake
The boating point on the Tehri Lake is about 39 minutes away. The district administration lists boating, jet boat rides, water skiing, zorbing, banana, bandwagon and hot-dog rides, and paragliding, and calls April to June the best time. We have no verified operators or prices; ask at the shore.
5. Kanatal and the Surkanda Devi temple
West on the high road, Kanatal sits at about 2,600 m, 54 minutes away. Beyond it, at Kaddukhal (63 minutes), a path climbs to the Surkanda Devi temple at about 2,756 m, one of the Shakta pithas, where the head of Sati fell. Wikivoyage says it is famous for its Ganga Dussehra fair. We have no verified walking time for the path.
6. Dhanaulti's forest
Dhanaulti, about 39 km and 77 minutes away at about 2,286 m, has two eco-parks, Amber and Dhara, in pine and deodar forest, and views of the snow range on a clear day. It is about 30 km from Mussoorie by Wikipedia.
7. Koteshwar, the lower lake
About 39 km and 78 minutes away, the Koteshwar Dam, 97.5 m tall and 22 km downstream of Tehri, holds the lower reservoir of the pumped-storage scheme and runs its own 400 MW power station.
When to come
April to June for the lake, October and November for clear views; see the best time to go and how to reach Tehri.
Places around Tehri
The Tehri guide →More stories to read
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How to reach Tehri and Tehri Lake — from Delhi, Rishikesh, Dehradun and Mussoorie
How to reach New Tehri and Tehri Lake: 314 km from Delhi, Rishikesh station 68 km, Dehradun airport 77 km, the high road via Dhanaulti, measured times.
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Narkanda in winter — snow, skiing and the Hatu road
Narkanda in winter: snow from November to March at 2,708 m, the government ski courses at the ABVIMAS centre, the Hatu road after snow, and the Shimla drive.
How to reach Rishikesh — distances and drive times
How to reach Rishikesh from Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Haridwar and Mussoorie by road, with measured distances and times, and the nearest airport and station.
Best time to visit Chopta — month by month
When to go to Chopta: the cool, clear weeks of spring, the cloud of June to August, the snow from November, and why the Tungnath temple is shut for six months.
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Questions people ask
What is Tehri famous for?
The Tehri Dam, 260.5 m high and the tallest in India, and the lake behind it, which drowned the old town of Tehri. The district lists boating, jet boats, water skiing and paragliding on the lake. Up the high road are Kanatal, the Surkanda Devi temple and the forests of Dhanaulti.
How many days do I need for Tehri?
One day covers the dam and a few hours on the lake from New Tehri. Two let you take the high road west through Chamba and Kanatal to Dhanaulti, with the walk to Surkanda Devi from Kaddukhal. Add a day if you are coming up from Rishikesh or going on to Mussoorie.
Is Surkanda Devi near Tehri?
Yes. The path starts at Kaddukhal, about 31 km and 63 minutes from New Tehri on our routing, on the road to Dhanaulti. The temple stands at about 2,756 m and is one of the Shakta pithas, where the head of Sati fell. Wikivoyage puts it about 3 km from Dhanaulti.